The Grey junglefowl (Gallus sonneratii), also known as Sonnerat's junglefowl belongs to the family Phasianidae. These species are endemic to India. These junglefowl are found in the Peninsular India, in the States of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil nadu and Kerala.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had categorized and evaluated these junglefowl species and had listed them as of 'Least Concern'.
The male Grey junglefowl are medium sized birds, measuring 70 to 80 cm in length and weighing 800 to 1100 grams. The females are smaller and measure 38 cm in length and weigh 700 to 800 grams. The male has red wattles and combs. Spurs are present in red colored legs in males. The females have yellow colored legs devoid of spurs. The central tail feathers in males are long, black and sickle shaped.
The Grey junglefowl inhabit thickets, forest floor covered with scrubs and evergreen forests. They feed on insects, small vertebrates, seeds, grass and berries. They breed throughout the year. The female incubates the eggs and take care of chicks.
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| Indian bird - Grey junglefowl - Gallus sonneratii |
| Biological classification | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Galliformes |
| Family: | Phasianidae |
| Subfamily: | Phasianinae |
| Genus: | Gallus |
| Species: | G. sonneratii |
| Binomial name: | Gallus sonneratii |
| Distribution: | endemic to India, Indian Peninsula; |
| Feeding habits: | grains, seeds, berries, insects and termites; |
| IUCN status listing: | Least Concern |
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| Gallus sonneratii by Fabrice Stoger | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Gallus sonneratii by Yathin S Krishnappa | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gallus_sonneratii_(Bandipur).jpg
Author: Yathin S Krishnappa | License: CC BY-SA 3.0
Current topic: Grey junglefowl - Gallus sonneratii.